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Department of Surgery: Medical Student Education

Goals and Objectives

UAMS College of Medicine
Undergraduate Medical Education Competencies

  1. Medical Knowledge
  2. Patient Care
  3. Professionalism
  4. Interpersonal and Communications Skills
  5. Medical Informatics
  6. Population Health and Preventive Medicine
  7. Practice-Based and Systems-Based Medical Care

Objective 1

The student will recognize, evaluate and describe the management of traumatic and non-traumatic surgical emergencies, such as acute trauma, acute abdomen, acute arterial insufficiency, ruptured aneurysm, acute bleeding, acute severe surgical infections and abscesses and other similar surgical emergencies. The student will demonstrate a basic working knowledge of surgical emergencies commonly seen in infants and children, such as pyloric stenosis and malrotation.

The student will recognize, evaluate and describe the management of traumatic and non-traumatic surgical emergencies, such as acute trauma, acute abdomen, acute arterial insufficiency, ruptured aneurysm, acute bleeding, acute severe surgical infections and abscesses and other similar surgical emergencies. The student will demonstrate a basic working knowledge of surgical emergencies commonly seen in infants and children, such as pyloric stenosis and malrotation.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation of supervised clinical care
  2. Discussion of relevant patient care problems on teaching rounds and in conferences.
  3. Performance on standardized summative oral and written examinations.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2

Objective 2

The student will successfully demonstrate directed history and physical examinations on the surgical patient, with emphasis on preoperative planning and decision-making. This will include specialized examinations related to surgical disease, such as breast examinations and vascular examinations.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation of supervised patient care in the surgical clinics.
  2. Direct observation of supervised patient care on the surgical wards.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2, 4

Objective 3

The student will discuss the indications and techniques of basic surgery-related invasive procedures including surgical airway control, CVL placement, needle and tube thoracostomy, suturing of minor wounds, placement of nasogastric and urinary drainage tubes and venous cutdown.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation in the surgical skills laboratory.
  2. Direct observation of supervised patient care on the surgical wards.
  3. Discussion of relevant patient care problems on teaching rounds and in conferences.
  4. Performance on standardized summative oral examination

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2

Objective 4

The student will perform basic preoperative and postoperative care of uncomplicated surgical patients (under appropriate resident or faculty supervision). This includes fluid and medication management, wound and drain management and nutritional support.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation of supervised patient care on the surgical wards.
  2. Completion and review of clinical objectives checklist.
  3. Review of patient log by clerkship director.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2, 4

Objective 5

The student will recognize postoperative emergencies and complications, including wound infection, wound disruption, atelectasis, uncontrolled postoperative pain, analgesic overdose, severe electrolyte abnormalities, postoperative renal or pulmonary failure, pulmonary embolus and postoperative bleeding.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation of supervised clinical care
  2. Discussion of relevant patient care problems on teaching rounds and in conferences.
  3. Performance on standardized summative oral and written examinations.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2

Objective 6

The student will describe the applied anatomy, pathophysiology and treatment of common surgical diseases, such as cholecystitis and other biliary tract disorders, appendicitis, diverticulitis, solid-tumor malignancy, atherosclerotic cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, hernia, gastroesophageal reflux and bowel obstruction.

Assessed By:

  1. Discussion of relevant patient care problems on teaching rounds and in conferences.
  2. Performance on standardized summative oral examination.
  3. Performance on summative written examination.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2

Objective 7

The student will describe and/or demonstrate the basic principles of wound care, dressing management, infection control, sterile technique and surgical treatment of infections.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation in the surgical skills laboratory.
  2. Direct observation of supervised patient care on the surgical wards.
  3. Discussion of relevant patient care problems on teaching rounds and in conferences.
  4. Performance on standardized summative oral examination.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2

Objective 8

The student will scrub in surgery and assist in surgical cases and surgical endoscopy as directed (ordinarily at the second assistant level)

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation in the Operating Room.
  2. Completion and review of clinical objectives checklist.
  3. Review of patient log by clerkship director.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2

Objective 9

The student will demonstrate conduct appropriate for a medical professional, including appropriate interaction with other health care team members, patients and families. This includes appropriate dress, punctuality and responsible conduct on the clinical service and in conference.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation in the surgical clinic.
  2. Direct observation on the surgical wards.
  3. Direct observation in the operating room.
  4. Direct observation in conference and other educational activities.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 3, 4

Objective 10

The student will describe disparities in health care delivery and specific health care system and delivery issues related to surgery, such as disparity in care between insured and uninsured, cancer screening, regional differences in cancer care, management of the non-English speaking patient and trauma care systems issues.

Assessed By:

  1. Discussion during informal conferences and teaching rounds
  2. Standardized summative oral examination.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 5, 6, 7

Objective 11

The student will present surgical patients in a forum of other physicians, utilizing appropriate evidence-based medicine techniques.

Assessed By:

  1. Direct observation on clinical rounds and in informal conferences.
  2. Direct observation during “five minute brief” of a selected surgical disease.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

Objective 12

The student will achieve passing scores on oral and written examinations given during the surgical clerkship.

Assessed By:

  1. Performance on standardized summative oral examination.
  2. Performance on summative written examination.

UAMS COM UME Competencies addressed: 1, 2, 4